By: SENATOR STEVE DRAZKOWSKI
Friends and neighbors,
Over the last two years, Minnesota’s Democrat-controlled government has pushed Minnesota to the absolute brink.
2023 was their first year with complete control of the legislature and governor’s office. They took the reins with a $19 billion surplus, built on the backs of Minnesota taxpayers, and runaway inflation stretching family budgets to the limit. Minnesotans were clamoring for their money back.
Instead of returning the surplus to the taxpayers who created it, Democrats went on an irresponsible spending spree. They squandered virtually the entire surplus on their pet projects and raised another $10 billion in taxes on top of it.
In less than a year, Democrats turned the state’s historic surplus into a structural budget deficit – in other words, we are spending more than we are taking in. Their reckless spending spree has put Minnesota’s financial stability at risk. If we do not take corrective action, we will find ourselves in a fiscal nightmare, with the burden falling on hard-working Minnesotans.
The 2024 session was similarly disgraceful. Democrats – who still control the House, Senate, and Governor’s office – delayed and stalled all year, bringing up priority conference committee agreements only in the final weekend. Instead of working, they scheduled light floor sessions and took long breaks. At the last minute, they threw together a colossal 1,431-page bill and rammed it through, flagrantly ignoring the rules that govern us. This bill was not available online, and most members did not even have a physical copy. Their blatant disregard for transparency and accountability silenced your voice and the voices of half of this state.
What do the last two years mean for Minnesota?
We’re on the edge of a fiscal cliff. More and more of your tax dollars are being taken to indulge the Democrats’ insatiable appetite for spending. The freedoms of law-abiding citizens are being eroded. School budgets are in the red, crushed by burdensome mandates. Half of our students can’t read or do math at grade level, but Democrats are injecting controversial politics into the classroom instead of focusing on fundamentals.
We are on an unsustainable and exceedingly risky trajectory.
This extreme agenda does not reflect the values of Minnesotans. Democrats have abused the legislative process, silenced dissenting voices, and ignored the nearly 50% of Minnesotans who did not vote for Democrats. They have prioritized their agenda and their power over the needs of our state.
After the 2024 session adjourned, Democrat Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy said “the spectacle will fade.” We must not let it. The actions of the Democrat-controlled government have shown us what happens when a single party prioritizes its agenda over the people of this state.
We need to restore balance, transparency, and accountability to our government. All voices must be heard, and we must hold those in power accountable for their actions.
CONTACT ME
Thank you for your continued support and engagement again this year. Your feedback is the driving force behind me being your voice in the Senate, so I always appreciate hearing from you.
If you ever have any comments, questions, or concerns about what we are working on here at the Capitol, please do not hesitate to contact me. You can reach me by phone at 651-296-5612 or email me at sen.steve.drazkowski@mnsenate.gov.
I also email a regular legislative update, which you can sign up for here: https://www.senate.mn/senatordrazkowskinewsletter.
And follow me on Facebook here: https://www.fb.com/SenatorDrazkowski.
It is a privilege to serve you.